Vegan Fish

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Vegan fish features ingredients like hearts of palm, nori, panko breadcrumbs, and Old Bay seasoning. Dunk these crispy, crunchy fillets in vegan tartar sauce, or serve them alongside homemade “chips” for a classic British meal made plant-based.

❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe

• Kid-friendly: Vegan fish and chips are a fun finger food for little ones. Plus, it helps that they look and taste similar to store-bought varieties.
• Full of flavor: Thanks to the use of ample seasonings, this vegan fish recipe is not short on flavor!
• Diet-friendly: Naturally dairy and nut-free, this recipe can easily be made gluten-free as well.
• Easy: From start to finish, the whole dish is ready in under an hour.

If you like vegan fried fish, you’ll love our Ensenada fish tacos, tofu chicken tenders, vegan Spam, vegan fried chicken, and pan-fried tofu.

🐟 What is vegan fish?

Vegan fish is a plant-based recipe made to emulate the taste and texture of traditional beer-battered fish fillets.

Store-bought options are typically made from wheat protein that’s been processed with a liquid and thickened. From there, it’s tossed with seasonings, molded into the shape of a fillet, coated in batter, and fried.

There are many variations, utilizing different ingredients, seasonings, and cooking methods. For this vegan fish recipe, we’re keeping things simple with a hearts of palm base and a simple beer batter.

To imitate the “seafood” taste, we add nori and Old Bay seasoning. Truth be told, this vegan fried fish tastes pretty close to the real deal, but we’ll let you be the judge of that!

💛 What are hearts of palm?

Often found in salads and dips, hearts of palm also make an excellent vegan meat replacement. They’re a type of white vegetable that is harvested from the core of palm trees.

Commonly found in the canned vegetable section, hearts of palm are a low-calorie food that is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They contain large quantities of potassium, phosphorous, copper, and zinc, and they even have 4 grams of protein per serving!

Similar to tofu, hearts of palm are mild in flavor, taking on the taste of whatever they are combined with.

🍺 Which type of beer is best for beer batter?

The main purpose of mixing beer into batter is to create aeration, which lifts the batter and makes it light and crispy.

With that said, opt for a light-colored beer like a lager, pale ale, pilsner, or any Mexican-style beer. Dark beer varieties like stouts and porters impart too much flavor. Plus, they will alter the color of the batter.

Some pubs that specialize in fish and chips occasionally use stronger beer, which matches the potent flavor of certain types of fish.

Because we’ve used hearts of palm and mild seasonings, a light beer is best for this recipe!

📜 History

Fish and chips are firmly entrenched in British food culture, but did you know the real origins have been traced back to 15th-century Portugal?

Originally made as a way to preserve food for the Sabbath, Sephardic Jews were the first to make battered and fried white fish. When they were run out of Spain and Portugal, they brought their rich cuisine traditions to places like England.

There are even references to the Jewish way of preserving fish as early as 1781. But, it wasn’t until the late 19th century that fried fish exploded in popularity amongst the masses.

Fast forward to today, and there are now thousands of fish and chip shops all over England and the rest of the world!

🛒 Ingredients & substitutions

For the fish

• Hearts of palm: Used to create a flaky fish-like texture. If you can’t find hearts of palm, canned artichoke hearts, canned young jackfruit, and canned banana blossoms work as well.
• Breadcrumbs: Regular panko or gluten-free panko breadcrumbs provide texture and act as a binder in this vegan fish recipe. If you don’t have panko, use crushed saltine crackers (reduce the salt in the rest of the recipe).
• Nori sheets: Roasted seaweed sheets give this recipe a distinct “fishy” taste. They can usually be found in most grocery stores, but you’ll definitely be able to find some in any Asian food market.
• Seasonings: Old Bay seasoning, salt, and black pepper add classic seafood flavors, just like the real deal. For a slightly more vibrant taste, replace the regular black pepper with lemon pepper.

For the batter

• Flour: We use regular all-purpose flour, but a 1:1 gluten-free blend can be substituted if needed.
• Cornstarch: Used to create a crispy, golden-brown crust. Cornstarch is key in preventing the coating from turning soggy.
• Baking powder: Helps to lighten the batter, making it extra tender.
• Seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, Old Bay seasoning, salt, and pepper enhance the savoriness of the batter.
• Beer: The CO2 in beer also creates an airy batter texture. Our go-to variety is Modelo, but just remember to choose any light-colored beer. To keep this recipe non-alcoholic, use sparkling water instead.

For frying

• Oil: Any neutral oil with a high smoke point like vegetable, peanut, safflower, or canola oil will work.

For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.

📝 How to make vegan fried fish

Step 1: Combine the fish ingredients

Add the hearts of palm, panko, nori sheets, and seasonings to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture sticks together, leaving some chunks.

Step 2: Form the fillets

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then, measure out 3-4 tablespoons of the fish mixture at a time, and use your hands to form a “fish fillet” shape.

Place the fillets on the prepared baking sheet, and repeat the process until all of the fish mixture is gone. Transfer the baking sheet to your fridge to chill.

Step 3: Mix the beer batter

Pour a few inches of oil into a deep pot, and warm it over medium heat. In the meantime, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder, Old Bay seasoning, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl.

Gently pour 1 cup of light beer into the mixture, and stir until a pancake-like batter is formed. You may need to add slightly more beer, but start small.

Step 4: Coat the fish fillets

Once the oil has reached a temperature of 350-375 degrees F, remove the fish fillets from the fridge and dip them into the batter. Use a fork to flip the fish filets over, making sure they are completely coated.

Step 5: Fry the fish

Transfer the battered fish to the pot of hot oil. Working in small batches of 2-3, fry your vegan fish for 2-3 minutes per side, or until they’re golden brown.

Step 6: Drain and serve

Transfer the vegan fried fish fillets to a wire rack over a baking sheet or a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil. Once slightly cooled, serve with your favorite dipping sauce. Happy eating!

If you have questions about this vegan fish recipe, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!

🍟 What to serve with vegan fish

For a complete meal, serve your vegan fish alongside dishes like these:

• Crispy potato wedges: For the “chip” portion of fish and chips.
• Chickpea fries: Crispy, crunchy, and high in plant-based protein.
• Baked buffalo cauliflower wings: Perfectly poppable and incredibly addictive.
• Air fryer sweet potatoes: Crispy sweet potato cubes ready in mere minutes.

🍽️ How to eat vegan fish

Commonly served as finger food, vegan fish and chips are a meal on their own. However, we like to spruce them up by dipping ours in vegan tartar sauce, ranch, or even guacamole!

If you’ve got picky eaters, try serving them alongside ketchup — they won’t even think twice!

🌡️ Storage & reheating

Vegan fried fish is best served hot and crispy. However, leftovers can easily be saved to enjoy later on. Follow these storage tips to keep them fresh:

• Fridge: Once cooled, place your vegan fish in an airtight container. Keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
• Freezer: If you plan on freezing this fish recipe, leave the beer batter off. First, freeze the sticks on a lined baking sheet, then transfer them to an airtight container or sealable bag for up to 3 months.
• Reheating: When you’re ready to eat, mix up the batter and cook them the same way you would fresh vegan fish. If they are already battered, reheat them in your oven for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees F or in a skillet with a bit of oil.

♻️ Variations

• Make a sandwich: Layer individual pieces of vegan fish on a bun, or use the mixture to create patties for fish sandwiches.
• Seasonings: Adjust the seasonings to suit your taste preferences. For a lighter, zesty flavor, swap out the black pepper with lemon pepper. Kick it up a notch with a dash of cayenne. Or, add fresh dill to the fish mixture.
• Tofu: For an even quicker meal, dip tofu pieces into the batter, and fry them as usual.
• Alcohol-free: If you prefer no alcohol, use sparkling water instead of beer for a more kid-friendly batter.
• Gluten-free: Replace the all-purpose flour, panko, and beer with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, gluten-free panko, and gluten-free beer.

🧑‍🍳 Top tips

• Don’t over-mix the ingredients: Pulse the “fish” ingredients in the food processor until they just stick together, making sure to leave some chunks.
• Handle gently: The fish fillets are delicate, so handle them with care when dipping them in the batter.
• Add more beer: If your batter is not forming a slightly thick and tacky pancake-like consistency, mix in an additional tablespoon of beer or sparkling water until the desired texture is reached.
• Work in batches: Lay the fish fillets in a single layer on your pan, leaving room between them. Fry in batches so they are not overcrowded in the pot. Nobody wants soggy fish and chips!
• Measure your fish mixture: Do not use more than 3-4 tablespoons at a time for each fish stick. If you do, they will be too heavy and will not fry properly.
• Use the right beer: For a light, flakey batter texture, opt for light beer, and make sure it’s ice-cold!
• Use a thermometer: For the best results, use a deep-fry thermometer to make sure the oil is hot enough and maintains a consistent temperature throughout.

💬 FAQ

🍴 More vegan meat recipes

If you enjoyed this vegan fish recipe, be sure to check out some more meat alternatives like these:

• Vegan birria tacos: Corn tortillas stuffed with oyster mushrooms and plant-based cheese.
• Air fryer quesadillas: A quick and easy weeknight dinner.
• Jackfruit carnitas: Fresh corn tortillas filled with citrus-infused pulled jackfruit.
• Lentil sloppy joes: A childhood favorite made with plant-based protein.